Living Stones

How many of us enjoy collecting things from special places we visit? Some collect souvenirs, postcards, photos, or rocks; reminders of experiences of a vacation, a retreat, or a pilgrimage.

Just a few days ago, Tom and I returned from leading a group of 39 pilgrims to the Holy Land. We saw many of the pilgrims picking up stones from the Sea of Galilee, olive leaves from the Garden of Gethsemani, and even water from the River Jordan. When visiting these holy sites, you want to grab something from these places that will help recall the site. One of our favorite places to collect stones is the Sea of Galilee; after all, these stones are from the waters in which our Lord and His Apostles spent much of their time. For the pilgrim, these stones are precious, perhaps moreso than any souvenir you can purchase in the Holy Land. Bringing these stones home with us are like bringing back a part of the Holy Land.

What Are Living Stones?

The pilgrimages organized through our Ministry of Evangelization includes an important component to the experience of the Holy Land – encountering the “living stones” of the Holy Land. The “living stones” are the Christians of the Holy Land; they are Palestinian Arab Christians. Many of them are asked, “When did you convert from Islam?” They answer quite passionately by saying that they are the descendants of the early church. Yes—they were present at Pentecost (Acts 2:11) at the birth of the Church and have been present for 2,000 years. Some say humorously, “Our ancestors may have drank tea with the Apostles!”

They are called “living stones” because they keep the Church alive in the Holy Land. Many are parishioners at churches in Cana, in Nazareth, in Bethlehem and in Jerusalem! And many depend on tourism and pilgrimages for their income through hotel management, restaurants and shops. Their deep faith and hope, their warm hospitality, diverse gifts and command of languages make up who they are as the “living stones” of the Holy Land. The local Church leaders call them “bridge-builders” between Islam and Judaism, because they can be instrumental in creating dialogue and peace between these two cultures. They bring the message of peace, love, forgiveness and hope to a world filled with prejudices and misunderstandings.

Living Stones’ Message for You

Christians used to constitute 18% of the Holy Land’s population in 1948 and over 50% of Jerusalem’s population. Now, they are below 1.5%. Why such a low number? They are leaving due to the Israeli occupation and military check-points which prevent movement and lack of freedom in certain parts of the Holy Land such as the Palestinian Territories. When asked the question, “What would you like to tell American Christians?” They all answer, “Don’t forget us!” They ask for prayer and for future pilgrims to take time to visit with them.

Tom and I have many stones from the Holy Land, but the “living stones” make up an important part of our lives. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and many have become very dear friends. To learn more about the Church in the Holy Land; go to: http://www.pilgrimcenterofhope.org/HolyLand.php.

Do not be afraid to preserve your Christian presence and heritage in the very land where the Savior was born! (John Paul II in his homily, Bethlehem, March 2000 during his Jubilee pilgrimage to the Holy Land)